Steam-boiler structure



Sept. 2, 1930. J. B. HAwLEY, JR

STEAM BOILER STRUCTURE Filed April 24, 1928 Patented Sept.. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN IB. HAWLEY, JR., F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA STEAM-'BOILER STRUCTURE Application led April 24,

This invention relates to steam boilers and especially to the generation of steam in an installation in which the boiler is subjected to direct action of the fire.

f The object of the invention is the provision of a boiler installation including a fire box and aA boiler located thereabove, and in which the boiler is provided with a plurality of radially extending copper fins exposed 1o directly to the heat rising from the fire box, said fins being metallicly connected to the boiler, as by a welding process, whereby to permit the lower edge portions of said fins to becontacted directly by thev heat of the 1o fire box and to conduct said heat, absorbed as radiant energy, to the upper portions of the ins and thence to the boiler shell and to the Water therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a member which surrounds the outer vertically-extending edges of the copper fins, thereby providing, between each adjacent pair of fins, a Vertical channel for the passage of the heated air currents rising from the lire box, whereby to 'permit the body portion of the fins to absorb a large portion of the heat passing through the said channels and to transfer said heat directly to the boiler shell.

0 A still further object of the invention is the provision of an installation wherein the .boiler shell is so mounted above the fire box that the bottom portion of the shell is positioned below the lower edges of the copper fins and surrounded by firebrick, thereby insuring that the more intense heat may contact the bottom and lower sides of the shell before reaching the copper ins.

Other objects of the invention will be made apparent in the following specifica tions, when read in connection with the drawing forming a part thereof.

In said drawing:

u The figure is a partly sectional, fragmentary, side elevation, of van installation embodying my invention.

Now referring specifically to the drawing,

1 indicates a steel shell which surrounds a fire box 2, preferably of cylindrical formation, as here illustrated. The inner face of 1928. Serial No. 272,556.

the shell 1 is lined with the usual lire brick 3, the grates 4 resting below a furnace door, (not here shown) and an ash door 5 being positioned below the grate.

`The boiler 6 is composed of drawn steel, and a plurality of copper fins 7 are secured thereto by a welding process, preferably as described in my co-pending application Ser.

.N0 222,541', filed Sept. 28, 1927, whereby to provide a permanent metallic connection between the fins and the steel boiler body. It is to be noted that each of the fins 7 has its inner vertical edge in welded contact with the body of the boiler 6, the vertical length of each' fin bein approximately one-half the length of the oiler, the latter therefore extendin above and below the zone of the `fins, the ns being in substantial parallelism with its lower rim upon the top of the fire bricks 3, the uppe'r end of said shell being secured to the lowerl periphery of the stack 11. The lower ends of the fins 7 also rest upon the said lire bricks 3, and serve to support the boiler in proper position centrally of the shell 13. Located adjacent and in contact with the extreme outer edges of the copper fins 7, is a cylinder 14 composed of high-temperature metal, such as stainless steel, a cylinder of asbestos, or other insulating material 16, being positioned between the cylinder 14 and the shell 13. The customary water gage devices 15 are also connected to the boiler 6.

In the structure as disclosed, it will be noted that the steel cylinder 14 contacts the outer edges of all of the'lins 7, and constitutes with said fins, and the wall of the boiler 6, a multiplicity of vertically extending channels permitting the passage therethrough of the roducts o? combustion in the tire boX.

ith the' elements arranged as described the highly heated products of combustion rising from the grate iirst contact the lower end ofthe boiler 6, and are deected against the fire bricks 3, permitting the latter to Vabsorb some of the radiant energy of the heat, and thereby lower the intensity of action on the copper ins 7 As the heated products of combustion reach the fins 7 they pass u'p-l Wardly through the channels provided therebetween, certain portions of the gases contacting the wall of the boiler 6, and other portions operating to raise to and maintain the copper fins at a high temperature, which temperature is conducted by the fins to the body of the boiler 6, and thence tothe water therein contained.

Surrounding and in contact with the outer edges of the tins 7, is a cylinder 14 formed of high temperature steel, the purpose of said cylinder being to close the space between adjacent fins thereby preventing lateral egress of the hot gases" passing upwardly through the flues formed therebetween. The asbestos covering 16 surrounds the cylinder 14, insulating against radiation to the outside air.

The Water level in the boiler 6 is 1naintained at a point above the tops of the copper lins 7, so that the heat conducted by the llins to the boiler shell 6, will be transmitted directly to the water contained-therein rather than to steam, as would be Ithe case were the water level allowed to drop to a point be low the level of the fins. Steam is a very poor conductor of heat, the contrary being true of water in circulation. It is important that the fins and the shell 6 be allowed to rapidly give up the heat absorbed from the'ire box, and the logical cooling medium is the cold water entering the shell from the inlet pipe 9. If the shell were kept largely full of steam, at s team temperature, it is obvious that the heat transfer from the fins and shell, to the water, would be relatively slow.

The relative dimensions of the copper l'ins 7 are important, in that they must be of a cross-section and length sufficient to absorb the necessary heat from the fire box, and from the gases passing through the flues, and directly to the boiler shell and thence to the relatively' cool water therein contained. In the drawing I have illustrated the fins 7 in the form of copper slabs of substantially the saine thickness as the wall of the shell 6, the length of the fins being slightly greater than the diameter of the boiler, and the width of thefins being approximately one-third of the diameter of the boiler 6. In this structure, by properly regulating theheat in the fire box and maintaining a proper water level, theI lower end of the boiler 6 will receive the more intense heat, and transfer it to the water contained therein, in the usual manner. But a heat of sim-ilar intensity will also be applied to the lower ends of the copper tins 7 and. because of its large cross sectional area, each lin will quickly conduct the heat to the point of weld with the shell, and thence directly tothe water therein contained, simultaneouslyand progressively conducting the heat from the lower portion of the fin to the upper 'portions thereof, and thence through the welded joint to the water, as will be understood. During this operation the highly heated gases are passing through the lues in close contact with the sides of the fins, and are constantly adding heat increments to be subsequently conducted laterally through the :lins to the water within the boiler. 1f the copper fins 7 were not properly dimensioned, with respect to the thickness of the shell 6, and With regard to the heat of the tire box, the fins would become burned and rendered useless, and this Would also be true if the water in the shell were allowed to fall substantially lbelow the level of the top of the tins.

Demonstrations of aboiler so equipped, extending over a period of one year, have proven that water may be converted into steam in 3 minutes, as against 60 minutes necessary to forml steam in a similarly dimensioned boiler, unequipped with such copper tins, and under the same heating conditions.

Modifications of the structure herein "disclosed will be suggested to those skilled in the art, but my invention covers all embodiments falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

l claim: y

l. A steam generator including a firebox, a boiler positioned within said firebox, and a plurality of `fins of relatively high conductivity metalliely connected to said boiler and supporting said boiler in operative position.

2. A steam generator including a irebox having a heat resisting lining, a boiler positioned in said firebox, and a plurality of fins of relatively high conductivity metalliely connected to' said boiler and seated on said lining to support said boiler in operative position.

3.'A steam generator including a rebox, a boiler positioned vertically within the irebox, a plurality of l'ins of relatively high conductivity metalliely connected to said boiler, and means in said irebox adapted for contact by said tins to support said boiler in position.

Ll. A steam generator including a irebox, a boiler positioned vertically therein, a plurality of copper ins metalliely secured to and radiating from said boiler, and means in said firebox adapted for contact by said ins'to support said boiler in position.

In testimony wheroef I affix my signature.

JOHN B. HAVLEY, J R. 

